psychological disorder
deviant, distressful, and dysfunctional behavior patterns
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
a psychological disorder marked by the appearance by age 7 of one or more of 3 key symptoms: extreme inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity
medical model
the concept that diseases have physical causes that can be diagnosed, treated, and in most cases, cured. when applied to psychological disorders, the medical model assumes that these mental illnesses can be diagnosed on the basis of their symptoms and cur
DSM-IV
the american-psychiatric association's diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, the 4th edition. a widely used system for classifying psychological disorders. presently distributed in an updated "text revision
anxiety disorders
psychological disorders characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety or maladaptive behaviors that reduce anxiety
generalized anxiety disorder
an anxiety disorder in which a person is continually tense, apprehensive, and in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal.
panic disorder
an anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking, or other frightening sensations
phobia
an anxiety disorder marked by a persistent, irrational fear and avoidance of a specific object or situation
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions)
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
an anxiety disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and/or insomnia that lingers for 4 weeks or more after a traumatic experience
dissociative disorders
disorders in which conscious awareness becomes separated (dissociated) from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings
dissociative identity disorder (DID)
a rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits 2 or more distinct and alternating personalities. also called multiple personality disorder.
mood disorders
psychological disorders characterized by emotional extremes. see major depressive disorder, mania, and bipolar disorder
major depressive disorder
a mood disorder in which a person experiences, in the absence of drugs or a medical condition, two or more weeks of significantly depressed moods, feelings of worthlessness, and diminished interest or pleasure in most activities
mania
a mood disorder marked by a hyperactive, wildly optimistic state
bipolar disorder
a mood disorder in which the person alternates between the hopelessness and lethargy of depression and the overexcited state of mania. previously called manic-depressive disorder.
schizophrenia
a group of severe disorders characterized by disorganized and delusional thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions.
delusions
false beliefs, often of persecution or grandeur, that may accompany psychotic disorders
personality disorders
psychological disorders characterized by inflexible and enduring behavior patterns that impair social functioning
antisocial personality disorder
a personality disorder in which the person (usually a man) exhibits a lack of conscience for wrongdoing, even toward friends and family members. may be aggressive and ruthless or a clever con artist. often called a sociopath or psychopath
biopsychosocial on psychological disorders
biological:
evolution
individual genes
brain structure and chemistry
psychological:
stress
trauma
learned helplessness
mood-related perceptions and memories
social-cultural:
roles
expectations
definitions of normality and disorder
describe the goals and content of the DMS-IV
describes 400 disorders, and their prevalence. defines a structured interview technique that clinicians can use to reach a diagnosis. they answer objective questions, posed at 5 different levels, or axes, about the person's observable behaviors. the relia
contrast the medical model of psychological disorders with the biopsychosocial approach to disordered behavior
the medical model assumes that psychological disorders are mental illnesses that can be diagnosed on the basis of symptoms and cured through therapy. the biopsychsocial approach assumes that disordered behavior arises from genetic predispositions and phys
susto
marked by severe anxiety, restlessness, and a fear of black magic found in Latin america
taijin-kyofusho
combines social anxiety about one's appearance with a readiness to blush and a fear of eye contact, found in japan.
a mental illness is also called
psychopathology
free-floating
according to freud, one of the worst characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder is that the person cannot identify, and therefore, cannot deal with or avoid, its cause.
agoraphobia
fear or avoidance of situations in which escape might be difficult or help unavailable when a panic strikes
social phobia
an intense fear of being scrutinized by others
dose-response relationship
...
post-traumatic growth
the struggle with challenging crises often leads people later to report an increased appreciation for life, more meaningful relationships, increased personal strength, changed priorities, and a richer spiritual life.
stimulus generalization
e.g. when a person fears heights after a fall and later develops a fear of flying in an airplane without ever having flown.
anterior cingulate cortex
a brain region that monitors our actions and checks for errors, seems especially likely to be hyperactive during ocd
how does anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of stress, tension, or uneasiness
it is only a psychological disorder when it becomes distressing, persistent, or characterized by maladaptive behaviors to try and reduce it
contrast the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder
people with generalized anxiety disorder, which are 2/3 women, feels persistently and uncontrollably tense and apprehensive and are in a state of autonomic nervous system arousal. they are unable to identify, or avoid the cause of these feelings. people w
how does phobias differ from fears we all experience
it differs in their extremity and their potential effect on behavior. people with a phobia experience such persistent and irrational fears that they may be incapacitated by the attempts to avoid a specific object, animal, or situation
symptoms of ocd
persistent and repetitive thoughts and actions that interfere with everyday living and cause the person distress. the obsession is the repetitive thought, so it might be a concern with dirt or germs. the compulsion is the repetitive action, or excessive h
describe the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and discuss survivor resiliency
4+ weeks of haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal, jumpy anxiety, and sleep problems. some people are more resilient than others, only 10% of women and 20% of men develop it.
discuss the contributions of the learning and biological perspectives to our understanding of the development of anxiety disorders
learning perspective: views anxiety disorders as a product of fear conditioning, stimulus generalization, reinforcement of fearful behaviors, and observational learning of others' fear.
biological perspective: fears of life-threatening animals, objects, o
explain why some critics are skeptical about dissociative identity disorder
not found in many countries and is very rare in others; may reflect role-playing by people who are very open to therapists' suggestions. some view it as a manifestation of feelings of anxiety, or as a response learned when behaviors are reinforced by redu
dysthymic disorder
a down-in-the-dumps mood that fills most of the day, nearly everyday, for 2+years. chronic low energy and self-esteem, have difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and sleep and eat too much or too little.
depression fact
1. many behavioral and cognitive changes accompany it
2. it is widespread
3. women are nearly 2x as vulnerable to major depression than men.
4. most self-terminate, and so people usually can return to normal even without professional help
5. stressful eve
linkage analysis
a process that picks out the genes that are implicated, and for this situation, to see what genes put people at risk for depression. they find families with the history of depression across several generations, and drawing the blood and DNA of family memb
association studies
search for correlations between more specific DNA variation and a population trait.
norepinephrine
a neurotransmitter that increases arousal and boosts mood, is scarce during depression and overabundant during mania
serotonin
a neurotransmitter that is scarce during depression
omega-3 fatty acid
lower levels in their diet and blood of this acid, believed to enhance brain function
contrast major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder
major depressive disorder is not caused by drugs or a medical condition. people with bipolar disorder alternate between depression and mania. major depressive disorder is more common than is bipolar disorder.
summarize the contributions of the biological perspective to the study of depression, and discuss the link between suicide and depression
biological perspective: focuses on genetic influences, though linkage analysis and association studies. they have found abnormalities in brain structure and function, and the neurotransmitter systems. there is a predisposition to depression in some famili
summarize the contributions of the social-cognitive perspective to the study of depression, and describe the events in the cycle of depression
social-cognitive perspective: self-defeating beliefs, like learned helplessness and negative explanatory styles that view bad events as stable, global, and internally caused. critics note that these characteristics might coincide with depression but not c
paranoid tendencies
prone to delusions of persecution
flat affect
a zombielike state of apparent apathy
catatonia
may remain motionless for hours on end and then become agitated
positive symptoms of schizophrenia
experiencing hallucinations, talk in disorganized and deluded ways, and exhibit inappropriate laughter, tears, or rage. presence of inappropriate behaviors
negative symptoms of schizophrenia
toneless voices, expressionless faces, or mute and rigid bodies. absence of inappropriate behaviors
chronic, or process schizophrenia
when schizophrenia is a slow and developing process, recovery becomes doubtful
acute, or reactive schizophrenia
when a previously well-adjusted person develops schizophrenia rapidly to life stresses, recovery becomes more likely.
subtypes of schizophrenia
paranoid: preoccupation with delusions or hallucinations, often with themes of persecution or grandiosity
disorganized: disorganized speech or behavior, or flat or inappropriate emotion
catatonic: immobility (or excessive, purposeless movement), extreme n
describe the symptoms of schizophrenia, and differentiate delusions and hallucinations
it typically strikes during late adolescnece, affecting men slightly more than women and is applicable to all cultures. some symptoms are disorganzed and delusional thinking from selective attention, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and a
abnormal brain chemistry, functions, and structures associated with schizophrenia and the possible link between prenatal viral infections and schizophrenia
people with schizophrenia have increased receptors for the neurotransmitter dopamine, which may intensify the positive symptoms. there may be a link between negative symptoms and impaired glutamate activity. brain abnormalities is enlarged, fluid-filled c
evidence for genetic contribution to the development of schizophrenia
odds of developing this disorder is 1 to 100, 1 in 10 if a family member has it, and 1 in 2 if an identical twin has the disorder. adopted child's chances of developing the disorder is greater if the biological parents have schizophrenia, but not if the a
early warnings of schizophrenia in children
no environmental event can independently trigger schizophrenia, but some things may trigger it if genetically predisposed. if a mother whose schizophrenia was severe and long-lasting, birth complications, separation from parents, short attention span, poo
avoidant personality disorder
a fearful sensitivity to rejection. expresses anxiety
schizoid personality disoder
eccentric behaviors, like emotionless-engagement
histrionic personality disorder
dramatic or impulsive behaviors; displays shallow, attention-getting emotions and goes to great lengths to gain others' praise and reassurance
narcissistic personality disorder
exaggerates their own importance, aided by success fantasies
borderline personality disorder
unstable identity, relationships, and impulsive as well as unstable emotions. unstable sense of self, but an enduring pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.
discuss the prevalence of psychological disorders, and summarize the findings on the link between poverty and serious psychological disorders
1 in 6 people has, or had a psychological disorder usually by early adulthood. poverty is a predictor of mental illness. conditions and experiences associated with poverty contribute to the development of mental disorders, but the converse is true. some m